Image display devices, also referred to herein as image device, may be used in a variety of environments. For example, information display devices including televisions, monitors, and projectors may be adapted to display images, including text, graphics, video images, still images, presentations, etc. Such image devices may be found in home environments and applications, education environment and applications, business facilities, conference rooms and other meeting facilities, etc. The following is a non-exhaustive list of exemplary image devices: cathode ray tubes (CRTs), projectors, flat panel liquid crystal displays (LCDs) systems, light emitting diode (LED) systems, plasma systems, front projection systems, rear projection systems, LCD monitors, etc. Large format display devices may include televisions, front-projection systems, and rear-projections systems, as just some examples.
The images or content displayed on the image display devices may be provided by a plurality of different content sources. For example, content may be provided by content sources or remote computing devices, including computers, laptop computers, personal computers, storage mediums, such as memory cards and other memory devices, cameras, telephones, Smartphones, portable data assistants, etc. Image data from the content source may be transmitted to the display device directly or through a network. The content source may be connected, e.g. wired or wirelessly, to the image device for display of the content. Further, the image displayed by the image display device may be outputted to a display surface, such as a screen.
Typically, image display devices include a light assembly, including one or more light sources, such as LEDs, linked to a light engine or optical engine. Light may be directed from the light assembly through the light engine, and then through a projection lens to a display surface.
The temperatures within an operating image display device (e.g., a projection device) may be of concern. If temperatures exceed predetermined temperature thresholds (e.g, a critical threshold), portions of the device may malfunction and/or have a shorter life span. Thus, it may be desirable to maintain temperatures within, or outside, a projection device at operating levels to prevent the projection device from malfunctioning and to prevent early replacement of parts. It may be desirable to cool both the electronics and the light assembly, such as the LEDs, within the projection device. To enable sufficient cooling, a projection device, or image display device, may have to accommodate blowers and other cooling solutions in a box. However, such cooling solutions may prevent significant reduction in the size of an image display device.
The inventors herein have recognized that display systems having a minimized footprint (e.g., a bottom surface area) and minimized height may be difficult to cool as the prior fixed-sized cooling solutions have generally prevented reduction in the size of the display system footprint and height. In one example, the inventors have identified systems and methods for incorporating a collapsible cooling system into a reduced sized display system. One exemplary image display device includes a light source and an image-generation device for receiving light from the light source and generating an image. The image display device may also include a projection lens for projecting the image from the image-generation device, and a body for housing the light source, the image-generation device, and the projection lens. The image display device may also include a cooling system positionable in a first position and a second position based on a configuration of the body.